1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microscope illumination intensity measuring device, which measures the intensity of illumination light for a microscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with the discovery of fluorescent proteins and subsequent refinements, studies targeted on living cells have been vigorously conducted. As a first step for the functional analysis of living organisms, which is the final purpose, for example, a technique is employed, which includes acquiring images by visualizing phenomena such as the appearance of genes in living cells by using fluorescent observation with microscopes or measuring the phenomena.
In fluorescent observation, a fluorescent protein is excited by light with a specific wavelength (excitation light), and the resultant fluorescence is observed. In this observation, special light different from that applied to a cell in a cultured state must be applied to the cell.
In studies targeted on living cells, in order to improve the reliability of an experiment, it is important not to cause any damage to the cell under observation. That is, in order to minimize damage to a cell, it is important to minimize the intensity of excitation light at the time of fluorescent observation. In addition, in order to improve the reliability (repeatability) of the experiment, it is important to keep the intensity of excitation light constant.
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-297280 discloses a technique of measuring brightness at the time of microscope observation. This technique is associated with a microscope that uses, as an illumination light source, a CRT illumination placed at a position almost conjugate to a specimen. In this case, an observation image is sensed by a CCD or the like, and an intensity distribution is calculated by image processing, thereby controlling the CRT illumination to keep the contrast at each portion of the specimen constant on the basis of the intensity distribution.